"You will find that internal medication will be of much more service in
the long run."

"That may be, sir," said she; "but it won't do to make the run too long,
considtherin' he hasn't been able to do a sthroke of work for four
weeks, an' if ye'd ever tried one of thim plasters, sir, ye'd know
they's as warmin' as sandpaper an' salt; but if I kin git a little
slape, it will be better for me than any midicine, inside or out."

"That's what we came to give you," said Sylvia; "go into the other room,
and lie down, and you shall not be called until it is time for your
dinner."

The woman gave a little shrug, which I imagine was intended to indicate
that dinner and dinner-time had not much relation to each other in this
house, and going into an adjoining room, was probably soon fast asleep.

"It would be better to begin by giving him his medicine. I know all
about it, for I was here yesterday. I forgot to ask his wife when she
gave it to him last," said Sylvia, "but we might as well begin fresh at
the half-pasts."

She poured out a teaspoonful of the stuff, and administered it to the
old man, who opened his mouth, and took it placidly.

"He is very quiet and very patient," said Sylvia to me in an
undertone,--and it is impossible for me to describe how delightful it
was to have her speak to me in such a confidential undertone,--"he
doesn't talk any," she continued, "and doesn't seem to care to have
anybody read to him, for when Sister Agatha tried that yesterday, he
went to sleep; but he likes his brow bathed, and I can sit on this side
of his bed and do that, and you can find a chair and sit on the other
side, and tell me more about your plan of brotherhood."

There was no other chair, but I found a box, on which I seated myself on
the other side of the old man's cot, while Sylvia, taking a bottle from
her pocket, proceeded to dampen the forehead of the patient with its
pleasantly scented contents.

I did not much like to see her doing this, nor did I care to discuss our
projects over the body of this rheumatic laborer.

"It strikes me," I said, "that it would be a good idea to put on that
bay rum, or cologne, or whatever it is, with a clean paint-brush, or
something of the kind. Don't you dislike using your fingers?"

Sylvia laughed. "You have lots to learn yet," she said, "before you can
be a brother; and now tell me what particular kind of work you think the
brothers would do. I hardly think nursing would suit